While evidence for this microbial life is yet to have been found, a new NASA study from a group of scientists proposes that these microbes can survive beneath frozen water ice on the Martian surface.

More specifically, the team suggests that the amount of sunlight that would shine through the water ice and into shallow pools under the ice would be enough for any microbes to perform photosynthesis. The team utilized computer modeling to make their proposal, and pools of water similar to these Martian pools have been found on Earth to contain algae, fungi, and microscopic cyanobacteria — all of which perform photosynthesis.